Belt ice maker

ABSTRACT

A plurality of freezing drums, a heating drum, an endless belt rollably secured to the heating and freezing drums, and rotating blades at one end of the belt.

United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,762,181

Leidig Oct. 2, 1973 [54] BELT ICE MAKER 3.253.425 5/1966 McKissick 62/345 3,376,406 4/1968 Phelps 62/380 x [761 invent: RaYm'J'Id Lelmg, RL 1,528,043 3/1925 Bennett 62/345 ux Lake Charles, 70601 1,453,113 4/1923 Hulchins 165/89 2,900,801 8/1959 H6116 6r.... 62/84 [221 May 3,003,327 10 1961 COX ct a1. 62/352 x I 1441097 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 159,414 7/1957 Sweden 62/346 [52] US. Cl 62/320, 62/345, 165/89 [51] Int. Cl. F25C 1/14 Primary Examiner wi||iam 5 [58] Field Of Search 62/345, 320, 380, Evans &

57 ABSTRA T [56] References Cited i l f f C UNITED STATES PATENTS A p ura 1ty o reezmg drums, a heat111g drum, an er1dless belt rollably secured to the heatmg and freezmg 2,610,475 9/1952 F1e1d 62/345 X drums and rotating blades at one end of the belt 3,217,512 11/1965 Schwertfeger et al.. 62/345 2,610,475 9/1952 Field 62/345 X 5 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PAIEminu r'z 762,181

SHEET 2 OF 3 A rmen 5 Y5.

BELT ICE MAKER This invention relates to new and useful improvements in the manufacturing of ice.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of an automatic ice maker that obviates the necessity of having defrost harvesting cycles and special cutting knives.

Another object of this invention is the simple and efficient manner in which ice is formed at one end of the apparatus and removed at the other end.

The above and other objects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken together with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing one of the drums;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the heating drum;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the baffles; FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the accumulator; FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 12 is a coss-sectional view of the endless belt and a drum; and

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the water distributor above the endless belt.

Referring in detail to the drawing, there is shown a series of evaporators or refrigerated drum units 20, a hot gas drum unit 22, and an endless stainless steel belt 24 movably engaging drum units and 22 in a frictionless manner.

Each drum unit 20 comprises an outer rotatable transfer drum 30 and a fixed inner drum 32. Inner drum 32 has longitudinal fins 34 extending along the outside surface thereof for transferring the cold temperature produced by liquid refrigerant within inner drum 32 to outer transfer drum 30. In the space between drums 30 and 32 is a liquid agent which facilitates the transfer of temperature to belt 24 by means of longitudinal fins 36 extending along the inside surface of outer drum 30 and by means of the physical surface-to-surface contact between outer drum 30 and belt 24.

Vertically mounted to the bottom 40 of an enclosed housing 42 are supports 44 which in turn support a pair of horizontally positioned rails 46. An axle 48 secured to each side of outer drum 30 and is rotatably mounted within a needle bearing housing 50 which is fixedly secured to the top of one of railings 46. Axles 48 have shaft packing 52 and packing glands 54 at the ends thereof to seal the liquid agent within the space between drums 30 and 32.

A sprocket 60 secured about one of axles 48 of each drum unit turns outer drums 30 by means of a drive chain 62 connected between a reduction gear head motor 64 and sprocket 60 and by means of a roller chain 66 engaging sprocket 60 of each drum unit.

Gas from the expanded refrigerant within each drum 32 is removed to an accumulator 70 by means of a suction pipe 72 fixedly secured to inner drum 32, having an inlet 74 near the top of inner drum 32 therewithin, passing through packing glands 54, and supported by upright members 76. A series of baffles within accumulator 70 separates the vapor from the expanded refrigerant so that liquid refrigerant is returned to inner drum 32 by means of a pipe 82. The refrigerant gas leaves accumulator 70 by means of a pipe 86 leading to a refrigerating compressor (not shown). A pipe 88 connected to accumulator 70 serves as an oil drain. A series of baffles 90 within each inner drum 32 have beveled holes 92 therein for the purpose of separating oil from the refrigerant gas or vapor from expanded refrigerant gas. It should be noted that a support holds up a suction pipe 102 within which pipe 82 passes through, pipe 102 being fixedly secured to inner drum 32 and mounted within seal 52 of axle 48. Also, a pipe 104 having an inlet 106 at the bottom of inner drum 32 passes through pipe 16 serving as a pump out and oil drain.

Endless belt 24 is mounted at one end thereof on drum unit 22 which is similar to drum unit 20 in that it includes an inner drum 110 having baffles 112 with beveled holes 114 and an outer drum 116 enclosing inner drum 110. Baffles 118 extending along the outside surface of inner drum 110 transfer heat to a liquid agent in the space between inner and outer drums 110 and 116 which in turn transfers heat to fins 120 extending along the inside surface of outer drum 116. The major mechanical difference between drum units 22 and 20 is that hot gas is discharged into inner drum 110 by means of a discharge gas inlet pipe 122 which leads from the compressor (not shown) and is fixedly secured to inner drum 110 after passing through seal 52 and being supported by support 76. It should be noted that belt 66 also engages a sprocket secured to axle 54 of outer drum 116.

Fans circulate the cold air emanating from drum units 20 over belt 24. A baffle 142 within housing 42 positioned between drum units 120 and 122 and having flap seals 144 prevents the circulating cold air from passing around hot gas drum unit 22. Housing 42 insulates and encloses the entire apparatus.

Water distributor causes water to fiow onto the moving belt 24 which has a rubber band 152 extending upward along each side thereof from the top surface thereof for preventing water from running off the edges of belt 24 until the water is frozen due to the cold circulating air and the convection from drum units 20 as belt 24 physically rolls thereover.

As the frozen ice on belt 24 comes in contact with hot gas drum unit 22, the ice cracks and thaws from belt 24 as belt 24 moves along and beyond drum unit 22. The ice may also be broken in desired sizes by means of a revolving breaker having blades 162 and a sprocket 164 engaged with the ends of chain 66 for driving breaker 160 which is preferably located 60 from outer bottom dead center of drum unit 22. The ice falls onto a grate chute having a series of grates 172 that allow the broken pieces of ice to slide down chute 170 while the unfrozen water or melted ice falls through apertures in the bottom of chute 170 into a container 174 to be recycled to water distributor 150 or piped to a drain. It should be noted that the ice slides from chute 170 into a storage vault or conveying system (not shown). Also, water distributor 150 may be regulated to supply belt 24 with a variable volume of water.

It should also be noted that gang saws 173 may be rotatably mounted just above belt 24 over drum unit 22 for scoring the ice for producing pieces of ice meeting the exact sized specifications desired. It should be noted that idlers 180 mounted on springs 182 produce the desired tension in belt 24. Supports 44 may be removed when belt 24 is to be removed or replaced.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be resorted to without departing from. the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An ice making machine, comprising an insulated housing, freezing means mounted within said housing at one end thereof including an inner stationary drum having liquid refrigerant therein and conductive fins along the outside surface thereof and an outer rotatable transfer drum completely encompassing said inner drum and having conductive fins extending along the inside surface thereof, said freezing means having a liquid agent between said inner and outer drums for facilitating heat conductivity therebetween, rotatable heating means mounted within said housing at the other end thereof, a metallic endless belt trained over and movably supported on said rotatable heating means and said rotatable transfer drum and in heat transfer relation thereto, separating means between said freezing means and said heating means allowing the passage of said endless belt and preventing the passage of cold air and hot air to said heating means and said freezing means respectively, means for receiving and retaining water on said endless belt, means for supplying water to said endless belt, and drive means connected to said freezing means and said heating means for moving said endless belt over said freezing means in the direction toward said heating means causing the water which has been frozen by said freezing means to thaw into pieces of ice while passing over said heating means,

2. The ice making machine of claim 1, including a series of baffles within said inner drum having beveled apertures therein facilitating the separation of oil from refrigerant gas and vapor from expanded refrigerant gas.

3. The ice making machine of claim 2, including means connected to said freezing means and said heating means for recycling refrigerant vapor to said heating means and refrigerant liquid to said freezing means for facilitating the freezing and heating respectively of said endless belt.

4. The ice making machine of claim 1, including means connected to said drive means for rotatably breaking up the thawed pieces of ice falling from said endless belt adjacent said heating means.

5. The ice making machine of claim 1, including rotatably mounted means adjacent said endless belt above said heating means for regulating the desired size pieces of ice to be cut. 

1. An ice making machine, comprising an insulated housing, freezing means mounted within said housing at one end thereof including an inner stationary drum having liquid refrigerant therein and conductive fins along the outside surface thereof and an outer rotatable transfer drum completely encompassing said inner drum and having conductive fins extending along the inside surface thereof, said freezing means having a liquid agent between said inner and outer drums for facilitating heat conductivity therebetween, rotatable heating means mounted within said housing at the other end thereof, a metallic endless belt trained over and movably supported on said rotatable heating means and said rotatable transfer drum and in heat transfer relation thereto, separating means between said freezing means and said heating means allowing the passage of said endless belt and preventing the passage of cold air and hot air to said heating means and said freezing means respectively, means for receiving and retaining water on said endless belt, means for supplying water to said endless belt, and drive means connected to said freezing means and said heating means for moving said endless belt over said freezing means in the direction toward said heating means causing the water which has been frozen by said freezing means to thaw into pieces of ice while passing over said heating means.
 2. The ice making machine of claim 1, including a series of baffles within said inner drum having beveled apertures therein facilitating the separation of oil from refrigerant gas and vapor from expanded refrigerant gas.
 3. The ice making machine of claim 2, including means connected to said freezing means and said heating means for recycling refrigerant vapor to said heating means and refrigerant liquid to said freezing means for facilitating the freezing and heating respectively of said endless belt.
 4. The ice making machine of claim 1, including means connected to said drive means for rotatably breaking up the thawed pieces of ice falling from said endless belt adjacent said heating means.
 5. The ice making machine of claim 1, including rotatably mounted means adjacent said endless belt above said heating means for regulating the desired size pieces of ice to be cut. 